BLDUS has designed the Brown House in Washington DC, United States.

A single-family house in a newly named alley in Capitol Hill is an opportunity to elaborate on a healthy material palette that features black locust wood, cork cladding, hemp insulation and bamboo structural walls.

Composed of primarily plant-based, renewable materials, Brown House is the latest expression of the farm-to-shelter approach championed by BLDUS.

By translating the culinary ethos of the farm-to-table movement, the alley house integrates locally-sourced black locust lumber with a structural enclosure of hollow bamboo plywood walls and an extensive catalogue of cork in its various formulations, including flooring, siding, acoustical panels and coating.

In addition, the design of the linear alley house prioritises a balance between privacy and light, using balconies, a vestibule, a terrace and a rooftop garden to create a variety of flavours of habitation.

This project has been longlisted in the house urban category of Dezeen Awards 2025.

Studio: BLDUS
Project: Brown House